Miss Tibet 2005 draws just one contestant, organisers not discouraged

DHARAMSALA:
It has been a lonely ride to the top for this year's
Miss Tibet as the young girl won, but she was the only one.

For the second time in the event's history, there was
just one contestant for pageant as the event is
frowned upon by the Tibetan government-in-exile and
religious leaders who see it as against their culture.
Lobsang Wangyal, the director of the contest, said
they were not disappointed as it depicted Tibetan
culture and tradition.

"We are not discouraged nor disappointed for having
just one contender. For a closed society like ours to
have even one contender is a big achievement.
Something likes breaking the conventional ways. We
even have traditional rounds, like traditional costume
rounds. I think that is good to show the rationalist,
the colours and designs the Tibetans prefer and the
jewellery the Tibetans have. So we present all this.
The girls also have to give a lecture of Tibetans
culture, history and current affairs. In totality, it
is a Tibet beauty pageant, not aping the western
culture," he told reporters in Dharamsala on Friday.

The winner of the contest will be crowned in a formal
ceremony on October 8, where she will be given 2271
dollars as a scholarship.

This is the fourth year of the controversial Miss
Tibet and in 2003 also there was only one contestant
who was unanimously crowned.

The Tibetan government-in-exile led by Prime Minister
Samadhong Rimpoche has expressed strong reservations
about the contest finding it disrespectful of Tibetan
culture.

"The legislation of the administration body feels that
this is not appropriate. When people look at
Dharamsala, they think of holiness of Dalai Lama...
parading women like this, is in a way disrespectful
for the Dalai Lama," said Thubten Samphel, spokesman
for the Tibetan government in-exile.

Ironically, some elders including the spiritual
leader, the Dalai Lama, have supported the contest
saying that such events would bring youngsters close
to the modern world and boost their confidence.

Over 150,000 Tibetans have taken refuge in India since
1959 when the Dalai Lama and his followers fled their
homeland, after an abortive uprising against China.